Angie Orth is a globe trekking freelance communications specialist. Born in Jacksonville, Fla. and ultimately landing in Manhattan, she left a successful career in travel PR for adventures on the road and life as a digital nomad. She’s passionate about the Florida Gators, Shark Week, trying everything at least once and storytelling at Angie Away.

I’m so excited to be here at Shutterfly today! Shutterfly is one of my favorite companies and I have been known a time or two to spend hours drooling over the products on their website. Especially the acrylic prints! Oh my goodness, they are gorgeous!

Before I continue my gush fest, let me tell you a little bit about my kitchen dreams. For the better part of a year, I’ve wanted to redecorate it. I knew that I wanted a French kitchen, but not the kind with the little chefs and “Bon Appétit” everywhere. I wanted something that I created; something that reflects my style and things that I love.

As luck would have it, my dream of going to Paris was about to come true! In January, I found out that my husband and I would get to make a trip to France! Instead of rushing my decorating, I decided to wait until we got to experience France for ourselves. Then I could make my French kitchen really French!

After we got home and were sifting through our thousands of photographs (we seriously did take that many!), I knew exactly what I wanted above my dining room table – our own beautiful pictures! That way, every day I could remember all of the wonderful things that we got to experience.

We chose a photo from our favorite place in France – the tiny village of Bayeux – to be the focal point of our wall. I got that photo printed in a huge 20×30 Acrylic Print and made it the center! I filled in the rest of the space (it’s a really big wall!) with other pictures that we took from Paris and Versailles. I love how the Acrylic Print stands off from the wall – almost as though it’s floating.

I love, love, love how it all turned out! And the best part about the Acrylic Print is the premium quality! It is heirloom quality and I could definitely be keeping it forever! It’s truly gorgeous! Next project: turning our wedding photo into an Acrylic Print!

]]>https://blog.shutterfly.com/14655/acrylic-photo-wall-art-prints/feed/0Window Photographyhttps://blog.shutterfly.com/13540/window-photography/
https://blog.shutterfly.com/13540/window-photography/#respondTue, 23 Apr 2013 14:00:26 +0000http://shutterflystorytelling.com/?p=13540Shutterfly Guru Earl designs his photo books around themes because it seems easier – and better – than a book that is just a collection of good photos.

I’ve just received my latest Shutterfly book (I’ve collected more than 40 books over ten years) and it’s what I call a theme book and the theme for this one is Windows.

I like designing a book around themes because it seems easier – and better – than a book that is just a collection of good photos. And with Shutterfly’s custom path option it is so much easier to design the pages the way I want. I put the pictures and copy just where I think they look best.

My wife, Diane, works with me on most of our photo projects, and that is the case with Windows. Usually, when we check the printed book, we find that we each have contributed about half of the pictures, but she wants me to do the design. I happen to like the black background color because to me, it makes the colors in the photographs jump out. Now, to the photographs.

The Dutch are very neat people and this shot of a window in Haalem, the Netherlands, is a typical window of a home in that town.

I’m closer to my home for this shot. It is part of a Cracker Village in a state park in Perry FL and I was pleased with the way I could frame the sewing machine that can be seen in silhouette.

This next photo shows a set of ornate windows and doorways of the entrance to the Rossio railroad station in Lisbon, Portugal.

For variety, I like keeping an object (the lamp in the case) that adds perspective to the window. This was taken in a historic home in Madison FL, during a Christmas-time open house and invites us to look at the palm trees outside.

Silver River State Park, in Florida, also houses a Cracker Village and this window is looking into their one-room schoolhouse.

We never tired of the view we had of Prague, Czech Republic, from our bedroom window in the Corinthia Hotel, shown here. Although we couldn’t see it from our room, there are metro trains running under the bridge on their way to central city.

This photo is one of my favorite window shots as I was able to include near-by buildings plus the famous St. Mary’s Church in Gdansk, Poland. St. Mary’s is the largest brick church in Europe.

If you have produced, or plan to produce a theme photo book, please share it with me.

]]>https://blog.shutterfly.com/13540/window-photography/feed/0Capturing Fall Colorshttps://blog.shutterfly.com/11799/capturing-fall-colors/
https://blog.shutterfly.com/11799/capturing-fall-colors/#commentsFri, 14 Sep 2012 20:00:24 +0000http://shutterflystorytelling.com/?p=11799Fall is my favorite time of year, the cool crisp air, the change of seasons, holidays coming and of course my birthday (ha)! Gave the secret away, it is a wonderful time of year for color! Are you ready for clicking and having some great fall pictures? Let’s get ready! The Camera You should be […]

Fall is my favorite time of year, the cool crisp air, the change of seasons, holidays coming and of course my birthday (ha)! Gave the secret away, it is a wonderful time of year for color!

Are you ready for clicking and having some great fall pictures? Let’s get ready!

The Camera
You should be able to capture fall scenes with either a digital SLR or pocket camera, but consider using a device with a higher megapixel count to really capture the crispness of the foliage. I use the vivid setting for color. My choice for a camera is a Sony Alpha DSLR A55V and I have always used the Sony cameras.

Collect a few leaves: try placing them in a stream or body of water and take your picture from several angles. Get close take a part of the leave and see the details.

Get the perfect lighting
My preference is early morning, overcast day or right before sunset. Overcast lighting has the ability to eliminate harsh shadows and highlights – and in the process, bring out those powerful tones and colors that aren’t visible under the sun. The evening light also adds color, which is the “Golden hour”! Rain or dewdrops add to taking macro shots of fall leaves. The moisture makes the leaves more vibrant. If you are traveling you may not have the perfect time of day but you can make the best of it. Get in the shade and see where the sun falls through the leaves and take the leaves from the backside! You will see the beauty of the leaves!

The following photographs are evening with the lighthouse as our ship went by and the golden hour effect.

This photograph won 1st place for display on Thanksgiving day and was posted on Sony’s site several years ago. This photograph was named, Golden Years.

Step out of the box
Don’t just point your camera at a tree, and press the shutter button. Try using the rule of thirds and often turn around and look behind you! Take from different angles, and tilt your camera in different directions. Shoot across a lake or pond and how the leaves reflect in the water, etc. Just be yourself and tell a story with your photography!

This is Mount Washington Cog Railway and is so colorful with the leaves makes a interesting photograph.

Colors of fall are not just leaves

Capturing the “Colors of Fall” is not always just with fall leaves. You can capture fall in many other ways! Pumpkins, colorful corn, corn stalks or outdoor fall decorations. All compliment your fall Photography memories. Enjoy yourself and tell a story by including children playing in the fall leaves, or climbing a beautiful fall colorful tree. Enjoy yourself and make some memories. I have on my Travel site two fall foliage trips to New England, Fall in Colorado and Fall Aspen trees in the mountains of New Mexico.

Along a stream or path below: Nova Scotia on a walk through a beautiful wooded area along the coast. You see the trails and the leaves in the stream.

The northwest photo opportunities are just beautiful as the Aspens glow with bright yellow tones. Colorado and New Mexico offer the Aspens and are just beautiful to photograph in the fall!

READY TO UPLOAD!
After you have your pictures uploaded to Shutterfly, make a photo book, cards or enlarge for printing.

Use simple wording for your title, example, “Colors of Fall” use Halloween, Fall foliage and Thanksgiving and add your favorite Thanksgiving recipes! This is a great time of year for taking family portraits against the beautiful fall color. We make our Christmas cards using the fall color!

]]>https://blog.shutterfly.com/11799/capturing-fall-colors/feed/4Looking Thru Photography Tipshttps://blog.shutterfly.com/11789/looking-thru-photography-tips/
https://blog.shutterfly.com/11789/looking-thru-photography-tips/#commentsWed, 12 Sep 2012 20:00:13 +0000http://shutterflystorytelling.com/?p=11789Over the years I’ve received a lot of good photographic advice and it has included Look Up, Look Down, Look Back and Look Thru when trying to take great photos out of good opportunities. In this blog I’m showing examples of “Looking Thru” and I will deal with other “Looks” in future blogs. The first […]

Over the years I’ve received a lot of good photographic advice and it has included Look Up, Look Down, Look Back and Look Thru when trying to take great photos out of good opportunities. In this blog I’m showing examples of “Looking Thru” and I will deal with other “Looks” in future blogs.

The first picture shows one of the most photographed fountains in Warsaw, Poland. It works OK, I find, because the one person we can see in the picture gives us a good idea of the size of the fountain. It also shows the relationship of the fountain to a near-by building that houses the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Then I saw a way to create a startling different view of the fountain by shooting thru the tomb.

I also took photos in several dozen churches during my recent trip to Warsaw, and I’m showing you here one of my favorite scenes. I feel this photo gains a fresh perspective because I included some of the gates above and to the left and right. In effect I’ve framed the church scene and improved it in comparison to a shot that doesn’t show the gates.

My last example is shot thru a window. Two things are happening. First, the window frames the view outside and second, I’ve shot through the sheer curtain that is patterned with musical notes. This photo is from inside the birth home of Frederic Chopin, in the small town of Zelazowa Wola.

Here’s hoping you will be on the lookout for Looking Thru opportunities the next time you take some pictures.

]]>https://blog.shutterfly.com/11789/looking-thru-photography-tips/feed/2Statue Photographyhttps://blog.shutterfly.com/11341/statue-photography/
https://blog.shutterfly.com/11341/statue-photography/#commentsFri, 10 Aug 2012 16:15:47 +0000http://shutterflystorytelling.com/?p=11341Back in the days of film, I remember taking photos of statues, mostly because it seemed "important" to do.

Back in the days of film, I remember taking photos of statues, mostly because it seemed “important” to do. Because I didn’t want to waste film, I’d take two shots at the most and they ended up looking like this first photo – showing the statue of course but not giving much care to the surroundings.

Moving ahead to digital days, I take a lot more shots of statues than I ever did before, and also have some fun while doing it. I hope you may want to do the same and that is why I’ve included these next three photos of statues.

First you see me engaged in serious conversation with a professor at the University of Warsaw in Poland. Of course, this is a posed shot.

Next picture is of a lady listening to what that distinguished gentleman had to say. This was not posed and was taken by my wife, Diane, in Old Town of Warsaw, Poland.

Last is the favorite of my many statue shots. I was strolling on the rambla of Tarragona, Spain when I saw this child with his grandfather. I received permission to photograph them and this is the pose that won me over.

I hope these examples might inspire you when you next discover a statue just waiting to be photographed.

The Golden Gate Bridge has consistently been rated as one of the best bridges in the world. It truly is a magnificent sight. Not surprisingly it draws millions of visitors a year and is probably the most photographed bridge in the world.

Sunday, May 27th, 2012 marked the 75th Anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge. To celebrate the occasion we asked our Facebook fans to submit their photos of the iconic bridge which we then complied into an album on our Facebook page.

Here are the photos they shared. Feel free to submit your own! Email us your photos to be included in the album.

]]>https://blog.shutterfly.com/11233/the-golden-gate-bridge-celebrates-75-years/feed/3Introducing Videogramshttps://blog.shutterfly.com/10900/introducing-videograms/
https://blog.shutterfly.com/10900/introducing-videograms/#commentsWed, 18 Apr 2012 19:01:33 +0000http://shutterflystorytelling.com/?p=10900Turn your favorite pictures and clips into a video with music that will make friends and family feel like they were there. Perfect for sharing moments big and small.

Videograms are multimedia mixes – a new way for you to tell and share your stories. You can easily combine your pictures and videos with music to create personal videos that look professionally done. The advantage? It’s almost like “being there”.

Create something memorable, quickly and easily – just three steps:

Add photos/video clips

Select a style/theme

Choose a soundtrack

Videograms area available in three resolutions

360p – This web-quality loads quickly and is ideal for watching on your mobile devices or sharing on social media sites.

480p – This TV quality video is great for burning to a DVD or watching on a higher resolution monitor or flat screen TV.

Not only is it easy to create, it’s easy to share. Share it on Facebook or email to friends and family or download it to your computer.

Honor Mom or Dad or the new Grad. Know someone who’s retiring, getting married or celebrating a milestone birthday – a Videogram would make the perfect backdrop to any celebration or family gathering.

Life is full of moments waiting to be shared. Videograms are just as perfect for sharing photos from your honeymoon or that quick weekend getaway. Imagine Grandma’s delight when she gets to relive the first steps of her grand child, the entire first year or her little star winning his little league game – all with personalized messages and music. It’s quick and easy – you can send one every week!

]]>https://blog.shutterfly.com/10900/introducing-videograms/feed/4The Lucky One Sweepstakeshttps://blog.shutterfly.com/10785/the-lucky-one-sweepstakes/
https://blog.shutterfly.com/10785/the-lucky-one-sweepstakes/#commentsMon, 19 Mar 2012 16:14:14 +0000http://shutterflystorytelling.com/?p=10785Enter for a chance to win a trip for two to the Red Carpet Premiere Screening of the movie, The Lucky One.

One moment can change your life – you can be ‘The Lucky One’. You can win a trip for two to the Red Carpet Premiere Screening of the movie, The Lucky One – starring Zac Efron and Taylor Schilling.

Yes, that’s right – a trip for two to Los Angeles, CA. To enter, simply go to our Facebook Fan page, like us, enter your name, email address and upload a photo of the person, pet or thing you consider to be your lucky charm.

Based on Nicholas Sparks’ bestseller The Lucky One, Zac Efron stars alongside Taylor Schilling and Blythe Danner in this romantic drama directed by Academy Award® nominated writer/director Scott Hicks. The film will be released in theaters April 20th and is rated PG-13.

U.S. Marine Sergeant Logan Thibault (Zac Efron) returns from his third tour of duty in Iraq, with the one thing he credits with keeping him alive—a photograph he found of a woman he doesn’t even know. Learning her name is Beth (Taylor Schilling) and where she lives, he shows up at her door, and ends up taking a job at her family-run local kennel. Despite her initial mistrust and the complications in her life, a romance develops between them, giving Logan hope that Beth could be much more than his good luck charm.

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. ODDS OF WINNING WILL DEPEND ON THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ENTRIES RECEIVED. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. AFFIDAVIT OF ELIGIBILITY / RELEASE OF LIABILITY / PRIZE ACCEPTANCE AGREEMENT MAY BE REQUIRED. ONLINE ENTRY ONLY AND INTERNET CONNECTION AND FACEBOOK ACCOUNT REQUIRED.

BY ENTERING THE SWEEPSTAKES, YOU AGREE TO THESE OFFICIAL RULES, WHICH ARE A CONTRACT, SO READ THEM CAREFULLY BEFORE ENTERING. WITHOUT LIMITATION, THIS CONTRACT INCLUDES INDEMNITIES TO THE SWEEPSTAKES ENTITIES FROM YOU AND A LIMITATION OF YOUR RIGHTS AND REMEDIES.

1. SPONSORS: The Shutterfly Lucky One sweepstakes (the “Sweepstakes”) is sponsored by Shutterfly Inc., 2800 Bridge Parkway, Redwood City, CA 94065 (“Sponsor”), subject to the following terms and conditions.

2. ELIGIBILITY: Sweepstakes open only to legal residents of the United States, excluding Rhode Island and Puerto Rico. Void where prohibited by law. Entrants must be at least eighteen (18) years of age at time of entry, and possess a valid form of identification. Invalid or ineligible entries shall be excluded from consideration. Sponsor, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliated companies, divisions, advertising and promotion agencies (collectively, “Sweepstakes Entities”), directors, employees, officers, and each of their immediate family members (defined as parent, spouse, child, sibling, or grandparent) and those living in the same household (whether legally related or not) are NOT eligible to enter or win the Sweepstakes. By their submission of entry, entrants warrant that they are legally entitled and authorized to make such submission, either on their own behalf. In the event of a dispute as to the winner’s identity, entries will be deemed made by the holder of the email account associated with the entry. Participation in this Sweepstakes constitutes entrant’s full and unconditional acceptance of these “Official Rules” and the decisions of Sponsor, including the interpretation of these Official Rules and its exercise of discretion, which will be final and binding in all respects.

3. TIMING: Sweepstakes begins at 9:00 a.m. PDT on March 19, 2012 and continues until 8:59 a.m. PDT on April 01, 2012 (“Entry Period”). Online entries must be received by 8:59 a.m. PDT on April 01, 2012 to be eligible.

4. HOW TO ENTER: During the Entry Period, visit the Shutterfly Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/shutterfly (the “Sweepstakes Website”), ‘like’ (or have previously ‘liked’) the Shutterfly Facebook page, then click on “The Lucky One” Sweepstakes tab, and following the entry instructions on the application. Entrants will be required to fill out and submit the entry form provided as well as upload a photo submission of the person, pet or thing that they consider to be their lucky charm (“Submission”). Upon filling out all required form fields and submitting the entry form, you will be entered into the Sweepstakes. As part of the entry, entrant must “Like” the Shutterfly Facebook page, agree to the Official Rules, and enter a valid email address.

Only one (1) entry per person. After entering the Sweepstakes, entrants have the option to share the Sweepstakes with their Facebook friends. Entrants will gain (5) five additional entries into the sweepstakes, each time an invited friend enters. ( Entries become the property of the Sponsor, not Facebook, and will not be acknowledged or returned.

5. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:By submitting an entry, entrant agrees that his/her entry conforms to these Official Rules and that Sponsor, in its sole discretion, may disqualify his/her entry for any reason at any time, including if Sponsor determines, in its sole discretion, that the entry fails to conform to these Official Rules in any way or otherwise contains unacceptable content as determined by Sponsor. By submitting an entry, entrant hereby grants permission for the entry to be posted on the Sweepstakes Website and other websites as Sponsor shall determine, in its sole discretion. Entrant agrees that Releasees are not responsible for any unauthorized use of entries by third parties. Releasees do not guarantee the posting of any entry.

All entries must meet the following requirements to be eligible:

Photos must be in jpg, png, tiff or gif format and must not exceed 3MB to be eligible

The Submission may not contain any content that is lewd, obscene, sexually explicit, pornographic, disparaging, defamatory, libelous, obscene, or that otherwise contains inappropriate content or objectionable material as determined by Sponsor in its sole and unfettered discretion.

The Submission must be the entrant’s original work, created solely by the entrant, and must not infringe the copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity, or other intellectual rights of any person or entity.

If any person appears in the Submission, the entrant is responsible for obtaining, prior to sending the Submission, any and all releases and consents necessary to permit the exhibition and use of the Submission by Sponsor as set forth in these Official Rules. If any person appearing in any Submission is under the age of majority in his/her state, country or province of residence, the signature of a parent or guardians is required on each release.

The Submission must not contain any personally identifiable information of any person, including another person’s address, phone number, email address, credit card number or any information that may be used to track, contact or impersonate that individual, other than the entrant. Should the entrant include personally identifiable information about him/herself in his/her Submission, entrant acknowledges and agrees that such information will be disclosed publicly and entrant is solely responsible for any consequences thereof.

Entrants may not be, nor may entrant work with parties in conjunction with their Submissions, who: 1) are represented under contract (e.g., by a talent agent or manager) that would limit or impair Sponsor’s ability to display the Submissions in any media form; 2) have an acting or modeling contract that would make their appearance in the Submission a violation of any third party rights; or 3) are under any other contractual relationship, including but not limited to guild and/or union memberships, that may prohibit them from participating fully in this Sweepstakes, or from allowing Sponsor to use royalty-free, the Submissions worldwide in all media in perpetuity.

The Submission must not contain any commercial content or logos.

The Submission may not have been previously published and may not have won previous awards.

The Submission may not contain any material or elements that are not owned by the entrant and/or which are subject to the rights of third parties except those that are provided by Sponsor.

6. OWNERSHIP/USE OF ALL ENTRIES: By submitting a Submission, each entrant hereby grants to Sponsor, and to its licensees, successors and assigns, and any person or entity acting on its behalf, the non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty-free, no-cost, irrevocable right and license to use, publish, exploit, modify, edit, transmit and distribute the Submission, including, without limitation, the names and likenesses of any persons or locations embodied therein, in any and all media now known or hereafter devised, worldwide, in perpetuity for purposes without compensation, permission or notification to entrant or any third party.

7. PRIZES AND ODDS:

Sponsor will award one (1) “Prize” that includes: two (2) roundtrip airline tickets for the winner and one (1) travel companion (“Guest”) via a Sponsor-selected air carrier from a major commercial airport selected by Sponsor in its sole and absolute discretion, two (2) nights’ accommodations for the winner and Guest at three-star hotel (single room, double occupancy) in Los Angeles, CA, and transfers to and from the Sponsor-designated airport in Los Angeles, CA for the winner and Guest, and two (2) screening passes for the winner and Guest to attend the premiere screening of the movie The Lucky One.

Prize will be fulfilled as two (2) airline tickets, one pre-paid hotel room and the balance for the transfers to and from the airport in Los Angeles, CA provided in the form of a check, airport fees, service charges and/or facility charges, redeemable by filling in requested information and mailing back to the address indicated. Winner will be contacted by Sponsor to arrange trip details. Prize winner must provide all required information by April 5, 2012 for the necessary travel arrangements to be made or prize is forfeited. All expenses and incidental travel costs not expressly stated in the package description above, including, but not limited to, additional ground transportation, personal charges at lodging, food, beverages (including alcoholic beverages), merchandise, souvenirs, security fees, taxes or other expenses or incidentals are the responsibility solely of winner. Guest must be eighteen (18) years of age or older as of the date of departure and must travel on the same itinerary and at the same time as the winner. Winner’s Guest must execute a liability/publicity releases prior to travel. The roundtrip air transportation element for the Prize begins and ends at the point of departure. Winner and Guest are solely responsible for obtaining documents necessary for travel (i.e. passports, if applicable). Travel restrictions, conditions and limitations may apply. Approximate Retail Value (the “ARV”) of the Prize: Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000 USD).

The address of the premiere screening will be provided by Sponsor within a reasonable time prior to the premiere screening. The winner and Guest are advised to arrive at least one (1) hour prior to the premiere screening start time. No one will be admitted without a ticket or after the premiere screening begins. If, for whatever reason, the premiere screening of the film is cancelled or rescheduled after the tickets are ticketed, no compensation with be paid in lieu of any cancelled or rescheduled showing of the movie. No responsibility is assumed by Sponsor if the premiere screening is cancelled, rescheduled, delayed or postponed, in whole or in part. Unused tickets cannot be refunded or exchanged.

In the event the winner and/or his/her Guest engage in behavior that (as determined by Sponsor or any prize provider in its or their sole and absolute discretion) is obnoxious, inappropriate, or threatening, illegal or that is intended to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person, Sponsor reserves the right to terminate the trip or other applicable experience early. ALL PRIZES ARE AWARDED “AS IS” AND WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE). Prize is non-transferable and non-refundable for cash or credit and must be accepted as awarded. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute the Prize or any portion of the Prize for one of equal or greater value if the designated prize should become unavailable for any reason. No substitution of Prize except at Sponsor’s sole discretion. Winner will be responsible for all taxes (federal, state, and local), and any other fees or costs associated with the prizes that he/she receives, regardless of whether they, in whole or in part, are used. Prize will be awarded if properly claimed.

Odds of winning a prize depends on the number of eligible entries received during the Entry Period.

8. DRAWING: Winner will be selected by random drawing from all valid eligible entries received. Drawing will be held on or about April 2, 2012. Drawing will be conducted by Sponsor, whose decisions on all matters related to the Sweepstakes shall be final and binding in its sole discretion. Winning is contingent upon compliance with all terms and conditions set forth in these Official Rules; any entry drawn or any potential winner identified thereby found at any time to fail to comply with these Official Rules will be held invalid and ineligible for award.

9. NOTIFICATION: Winner will be notified by email by April 3, 2012 following the drawing. Winner so notified must, within two (2) days of notice of award, complete, execute and return the provided Affidavit, Waiver, Release and Indemnity Agreement including, where lawful, a Publicity Release (plus any additional documents required at the discretion of Sponsors) (collectively, “Affidavit”). Failure to comply with the requirements of this paragraph (or the return of any prize or prize notification as non-deliverable) may result in disqualification and in the forfeiture of any right to a prize, in which case prize will be awarded to an alternate potential winner by random drawing. The winner’s name will be available for six months after award of prizes by sending a self addressed envelope with sufficient prepaid postage to:

10. PRIVACY POLICY: Entries are subject to Sponsor’s privacy policy which is available at http://www.shutterfly.com/help/privacy.jsp, and which terms and conditions entrants accept and agree to by submission of entries pursuant to these Official Rules. By entering, the information you provided may be sent to promotional partners identified in this promotion. You may be contacted by the Sponsor and/or any promotional partners with future promotional offers. Your information will not be provided to Facebook.

11. RELEASE: By participating in the Sweepstakes, entrants agrees to defend, release indemnify, and hold harmless the Sweepstakes Entities and Facebook (collectively “Releasees”) from and against any actions, claims and/or liability for injury, loss or damage of any kind, (including the violation or infringement of any proprietary or personal right of any individual or entity) resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from participation in the Sweepstakes, and/or the use, acceptance, or possession of a Sweepstakes prize, and/or participation in a Sweepstakes prize-related activity, including any action, claim or liability arising from the unauthorized submission of any information. Entrants further understand and agree that all rights under Section 1542 of the Civil Code of California (“Section 1542”) and any similar law of any state or territory of the United States that may be applicable with respect to the foregoing release are hereby expressly and forever waived. Entrants acknowledge that Section 1542 provides that: “A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS WHICH THE CREDITOR DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS OR HER FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE, WHICH, IF KNOWN BY HIM OR HER MUST HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS OR HER SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR.”

10. PUBLICITY RELEASE: By accepting the prize, winner consents to and gives the Sponsor the right to use, publish, and display winner’s name, state, and prize awarded, for the purpose of advertising, trade, publicity and promotional purposes in connection with this Sweepstakes in any media now known or hereafter discovered, worldwide, and on the internet, without review, notification or approval, all without additional consideration, unless prohibited by law.

12. CONDITIONS: Entrants agree that by participating they release the Releasees from any liability in connection with: a) Entries that are ineligible as a result of being lost, late, illegible, damaged, incomplete, stolen, postage due, or misdirected: b) Any typographical or other human or technical errors in the offer or administration of the Sweepstakes, including but not limited to errors in advertising, these official rules, the selection and announcement of a winner(s), or the distribution/awarding of a prize(s); c) Any omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay, misdirection, damage, injury, technical malfunctions or traffic congestion on the Internet/telephone network, or at any website, or any combination thereof.

Sponsor reserves the right to modify these Official Rules for clarification purposes without materially affecting the term and conditions of the Sweepstakes. In the event that the Sweepstakes is infected by a computer virus/worm, or is not capable of running or being executed as planned (as a result of, but not limited to, an error, omission, defect, delay, misdirection, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, action of entrants, or technical failure) or any other cause which in the sole opinion of Sponsor corrupts or affects the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of the Sweepstakes, Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any suspect entry or entrant and to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Sweepstakes. In the event of such cancellation, termination, modification or suspension, notice thereof will be posted at the Sweepstakes Website, and winner will be determined solely by Sponsor in a random drawing from among all eligible non-suspect and/or non-disqualified entries. In such event, Releasees shall have no liability to any participant who is disqualified due to such an action. Failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.

13. LAW: Subject to all federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited or restricted. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation, and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of entrants or Sponsor in connection with any drawing or award, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any cause of action by you with respect to the offer (and/or any information, products or services related thereto) must be instituted within one (1) year after the cause of action arose or be forever waived and barred. All actions shall be subject to the limitations set forth in above. The language in these Official Rules shall be interpreted as in accordance with its fair meaning and not strictly for or against either party. All legal proceedings arising out of or in connection with the offer of these official rules shall be brought solely in San Mateo County, California. You expressly submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of said courts and consent to extraterritorial service of process.

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]]>https://blog.shutterfly.com/10785/the-lucky-one-sweepstakes/feed/6Savoring a Vacation, One Photo at a Timehttps://blog.shutterfly.com/10606/savoring-a-vacation-one-photo-at-a-time/
https://blog.shutterfly.com/10606/savoring-a-vacation-one-photo-at-a-time/#commentsThu, 15 Dec 2011 01:03:30 +0000http://shutterflystorytelling.com/?p=10606Read Kim Kelly of Live Life Too's story of her recent trip to Italy, told through mouthwatering photos.

A photo is not only worth a thousand words, but also a bouquet of aromas, a tug on the heartstrings, or even a growl of the stomach. Read Kim Kelly of Live Life Too’s story of her recent trip to Italy, told through mouthwatering photos.

Every once in a while moms and dads need to get away on their own. Toss in a romantic, ancient yet modern locale, a mega yacht, Italian wine for lunch and you have one dream vacation. Such became my reality when in late October my usually not so romantic husband surprised me by booking 12 days in Italy for our anniversary.

With four days before our cruise in Rome, our days were spent touring the city while enjoying extraordinary food and wine throughout. Tours of the ancient Colosseum, the remains of the Roman Forum, and the incredibly moving Vatican were topped off with overflowing pasta bowls, tasty ravioli dishes, wines from various Italian regions and of course luscious Italian desserts.

An evening Cul de Sac Enoteca, just outside of the Piazza Navona, brought a one-inch binder to our table along with two menus. Peeking into the binder, we found that the volume was none other than the vast wine list featuring over a thousand offerings. Luckily the young servers had spot-on suggestions.

Lunch at Ristorante Mario, located in the Piazza del Grillo near the Colosseum, had us practicing the tradition of wine with lunch as we feasted on fresh bruschetta, tomato laden pastas and coffee drenched, delicate Tiramisu. Wonderful service only enhanced our food and my mouth still waters at the memories of this quintessential meal.

A most memorable evening found us at I Colori del Vino, served by Marco, the owner. Serving wines from Italian regions Marco paired our tastes and food perfectly to the wine while making us feel like he was preparing everything especially for us

Departing Rome on our small cruise ship voyage only continued our gastronomic travels with Limoncello tastings in Sorrento, positively the best cappuccino and cannoli ever in Taormina, and thin crusted pizzas, nothing like home (thank goodness), in more than one port.

The ship itself offered the delightful option of breakfast served outside at the Veranda Cafe, beginning our days with fresh breads, creamy European yogurts, and fruit selections each morning as we took in the views of yet another stunning Italian or Sicilian Port.

Italy became a part of us, leaving us with a powerful yearning to return. From the chaotic espresso-like buzz of the bustling cities to the relaxing wine with lunch way of life, we fell in love.

Between weddings,summer vacation, and special occassions, we are capturing more memories than ever with our cameras and smartphones. Understandably, it’s also leaving most of us overwhelmed by photo management. Shutterfly recently did a survey that found that 64% of people’s family photos are trapped on their camera even though 74% of us think photos are essential for documenting memories. With half of us feeling that photos are a way to pass memories to family memories, it’s time that we respect our photos and do something creative with them. We created this fun infographic, to remind us to ‘free’ our photos and do something creative so memories don’t fade.

]]>https://blog.shutterfly.com/10058/shutterfly-infographic-the-memories-behind-your-photos/feed/4Where the Eye Leadshttps://blog.shutterfly.com/9918/where-the-eye-leads/
https://blog.shutterfly.com/9918/where-the-eye-leads/#commentsSat, 17 Sep 2011 14:00:54 +0000http://shutterflystorytelling.com/?p=9918What the camera takes is not what we remember our eyes have seen

So often in photography we find that what the camera takes is not what we remember our eyes have seen. But, the good news is that our photos can be dramatically improved if we lead with our eyes. Cameras don’t have selective vision – that is up to the photographer and I hope these examples will help you when you try to let your eyes lead.

These are not ordinary beach shots. In the first, your eye follows the fence and dunes to what will become the beach, and in the second the row of shoes leads us to the beach beyond.

In this photo of young lovers at a fountain, the camera sees it all but what do you see first? Probably the girl’s face and the boy’s back. Because of the lighting our eye leads us right to those parts of the picture.

These shots were not posed and were taken on a street in Warsaw, Poland. By placing the photos as I did, your eye sees that the gentleman was totally involved in listening to the young musicians.

Our eyes can really help us get good photos when sculptures are involved. Here a statue of Chopin was photographed from an angle so that he seems to be watching the woman playing his music on a piano.

Involving a real person with a sculpture can result in a photo that is both fun and meaningful, as shown above.

I saw this boy sitting on a sculpture in Tarragona, Spain. I asked permission to take this close-up shot as he sat there with his grandfather.

Use your eyes to lead, and discover what exciting and creative photos you can take.

]]>https://blog.shutterfly.com/9918/where-the-eye-leads/feed/3How I make my best Disney photo bookhttps://blog.shutterfly.com/9677/how-i-make-my-best-disney-photo-book/
https://blog.shutterfly.com/9677/how-i-make-my-best-disney-photo-book/#commentsFri, 19 Aug 2011 14:00:16 +0000http://shutterflystorytelling.com/?p=9677I have figured out how and what photos to take for a great Disney photo book.

After spending an incredible amount of time in the Happiest Place On Earth, I have figured out how and what photos to take for a great Disney photo book.

There are a lot of opportunities to take photos in Disneyland – meeting the characters, entering the main gate, standing in front of the famous castle – the challenge is not to let these be the only moments you capture. My secret? Take photos of the things you REALLY do all day at Disneyland: wait, walk, and eat. These are the heart and soul of the day.

For every Disney attraction we ride, I take pictures of the attraction itself, the sign, and the family waiting in line. Remember to use your surroundings as a backdrop to show off where you are, like the architecture, trees, plants or the ride itself. And don’t forget to hand the camera to someone else so they can take photos of you too.

If possible I take photos during the ride. This can mean a lot of things depending on the excitement factor of the ride and the parks rules. It can be snapping away as the gang climbs in and buckles up. It can mean standing and waiting in just the right spot as they spin or fly by. Or it can mean their reaction during the ride as you are sitting right next to them.

Now what do you do between the rides…walk, walk and walk. This is where you take the photos of your gang walking hand in hand, or Dad with the youngest on his shoulders, or the kid (who is way too big for the stroller) climbing in for a ride.

My favorite vacation photos are about eating. If you’re grabbing a quick treat, take photos of “before the ice cream” and “after the ice cream”. You’re sure to get cute messy faces.

Take photos at sit down dinners. Once again capture the sign, the architecture, and the menu. Take photos of everyone at the table before, during and after the food is served. Take photos of the food! If you ask nicely, your waiter will be happy to snap a picture of all of you together at the table.

Add a few pre-travel photos of your family packing, en-route and arriving at the hotel, and BAM! You have just completed a photo book of your family’s latest vacation. You don’t have to be a slave to your camera either. Just a few of these key shots and you can put the camera down and enjoy the trip.

What photos moments do you capture in your travels? Let me know by commenting on this article.

]]>https://blog.shutterfly.com/9677/how-i-make-my-best-disney-photo-book/feed/6Fast-lane your summer travel photo bookhttps://blog.shutterfly.com/9643/fast-lane-your-summer-travel-photo-book/
https://blog.shutterfly.com/9643/fast-lane-your-summer-travel-photo-book/#commentsTue, 16 Aug 2011 14:00:29 +0000http://shutterflystorytelling.com/?p=9643How many times have you returned from a summer holiday with your camera full of photos and then promptly forgotten about them?

How many times have you returned from a summer holiday with your camera full of photos, uploaded them to the computer and then promptly forgotten about them?

Does that sound like you? It has certainly happened to me. I just finished my Shutterfly travel photo book from 2006!

Yes, you heard me correctly. That was five years ago. I was so thrilled with how beautiful it looked I couldn’t believe it took me so long to swing into action and get the book uploaded. Being a digiscrapper I often put things aside for later because I want them to be perfect. So if this sounds like you, then here is a great tip to get your photos into print fast.

If your trip was a long time ago and you can’t remember specifics of the places you visited, go to the tourist website for that location. You’d be amazed at how it brings back all the memories by just reading about it. You’ll also find very useful journaling information there.

I digiscrapped my book, but took what I call, ‘The Fast Lane’. I made a simple template that I reused for every double page. At Scrapper’s Guide we have a Member’s Subscription called, Premier. This month’s theme is ‘Travel’. If you sign up for Premier you will receive 4 instructional videos, a travel kit by Susan Bartolini called, ‘Off We Go’ and a sixteen-page template album to scrap your travel photos. One of this month’s videos demonstrates how to create the ‘Fast Lane Travel Album’ from scratch.

Another way to fast-track your travel album is to use pre-designed templates. As a special gift for the ‘Picture More’ readers, click here to download two bonus template pages from our Travel photo book designed by Carol Gilmour.

You can also ‘Fast Lane’ your travel photo book using Shutterfly’s All New Custom Path. Find an idea page you love and use it for each major stop on your trip – a simple layout that can feature a large photo. Pair each idea page with a collage of photos related to that stop.

Before you know it, you’ll be in the fast lane to getting your summer travel photos into a Shutterfly Photo Book!

Travel means anything from planting a tent in your local campground to taking the grand European tour. Whatever the journey, capturing it in a photo book helps us relive the experience again and again. If you’re planning your travel photo book, check out my five favorites from our All New Custom Path photo book Gallery, and learn why I love them.

1. Caribbean VacationCaribbean Vacation is on my list because it show people experiencing their surroundings…strolls on the beach, shopping for turquoise jewelry, playing on the water slide, dancing in a club, gazing at the port of call. These engaging photos help me see the fun vacation details much more effectively than posed family portraits.

2. Spring Break 2011
What makes Spring Break 2011 so successful is the playful use of embellishments. “Gas Food and Lodging” signs, passport stamps, and “We’ve Arrived” notices make us feel like we’re along for the road trip.

3. Poland 2010
The striking photography against those classic black backgrounds make Poland 2010 a photo book and trip to remember. Earl lets us look at his subjects from unusual angles, and chooses unexpected subject matter, which heightens the sense that we’re traveling to an exciting new place.

4. Zoo Book
Joey’s Zoo Book is a favorite of mine because it gives proper respect to the summer day trip. Why should grand vacations have all the fun? You can find the strange and unusual, like this white tiger, in your own city zoo.

5. Coronado
The subject itself puts this one on my favorites list. Who would NOT love a photo book about San Diego’s Hotel Del Coronado, backdrop for the comedy classic “Some Like It Hot”? But here’s why I really love it. The photo book maker pays attention to the colors in her photographs. She uses deep rich shades in her backgrounds to complement the grey sky, dark sand, and dark red roof of the hotel. No summer pinks yellows and blues. Smart thinking!

Do you have a favorite travel photo book in the All New Custom Path Gallery? Which one, and why do you love it? Let me know by commenting on this article

]]>https://blog.shutterfly.com/9514/my-5-favorite-travel-photo-books/feed/55 Tips for looking good in travel photoshttps://blog.shutterfly.com/9601/5-tips-for-looking-good-in-travel-photos/
https://blog.shutterfly.com/9601/5-tips-for-looking-good-in-travel-photos/#commentsWed, 10 Aug 2011 14:00:56 +0000http://shutterflystorytelling.com/?p=9601We can all be a little self-conscious sometimes, especially when our photo is taken

Does this photo situation sound familiar? You go on vacation and hope you look decent in the pictures that are taken of you. But when you get home and review them, you notice that you look fabulous in some, while others make you look not so great. Have no fear! Below are my top five tips on how to look good in travel photos.

1. Find your good side. Nobody has to know that you’ve been practicing your pose prior to your vacation. Simply set your camera on its timer setting and compare the photos taken with different body stances. Pay attention to how you position your face and body. Small adjustments to your stance and pose can make a big difference in your photos.

2. Avoid having your photo taken from an angle below you. This angle will make everything look bigger than it really is. Instead, have your picture taken at eye level or slightly higher.

3. Dressing in solid colors that work well with your skin tone can make you look slimmer. Avoid busy patterns like plaids, polka dots and stripes – they can be unflattering and distracting in the photo.

4. Recognize prime lighting. Avoid having your photo taken under the harsh sunlight during the middle of the day. We all know the “golden hours” before and after sunrise and sunset are the best to shoot in. Opt for smoother lighting that will create a nice soft glow in your pictures.

5. Keep your makeup simple. Having a natural look can make you look years younger and save you minutes of reapplying your makeup. I use a light moisturizer with SPF, mineral makeup that makes my skin feel airy, a little mascara and tinted lip balm. I never have to reapply and I feel comfortable all day.

It was the first time I felt completely helpless and under-prepared while on vacation. My friends and I spent the first half of our day sightseeing and shopping, and like many tourists, we were taking pictures of everything we saw. Little did I know that clicking my camera’s shutter way too many times almost prevented me from completing my Chicago photo book.

My friend Pat and I were the only two out of the group that wanted to check out the architectural tour. It was absolutely beautiful! I loved learning about Chicago’s history, each building’s story and cruising down the river on a warm, perfect day. However, I quickly discovered that my camera’s battery was getting very low halfway through the tour. After a few more shots, my camera completely died. I started to panic…what was I to do? Luckily, I heard my iPhone! One of my other friends sent me a text message to let Pat and I know where to meet up after the tour was over. Because I was so accustomed to using my camera for all my vacation pictures, I didn’t even think about using my iPhone as a backup.

I started to click away! Many of the pictures I took with my iPhone turned out great. When I was done, I just used my Shutterfly iPhone app and uploaded the photos into my Shutterfly account. After a little editing in Photoshop, the pictures I took with my iPhone made some great detail shots for my photo book. And that’s how my iPhone saved my Chicago trip…and photo book!

]]>https://blog.shutterfly.com/9562/how-my-iphone-saved-my-chicago-trip/feed/6It’s easy to get creative with your travel bookhttps://blog.shutterfly.com/9012/its-easy-to-get-creative-with-your-travel-photo-book/
https://blog.shutterfly.com/9012/its-easy-to-get-creative-with-your-travel-photo-book/#commentsTue, 02 Aug 2011 14:00:10 +0000http://shutterflystorytelling.com/?p=9012Customers are using All New Custom Path in fun unexpected ways. Here are a few of my favorite examples

Don’t let the word “creative” scare you because All New Custom Path makes it easy to look like a photo book genius. Take a look at these fun ways customers are using All New Custom Path, and my ideas for including them in your travel photo book.

Text Frame

This customer uses text in lots of positions to achieve a frame effect. I can see using this technique to talk about your favorite summer travel shot like a famous building or landmark. You could provide background about the landmark or building by framing it with text.

1. Begin book – Start your All New Custom Path photo book and upload your photos
2. Create page – select a one-photo layout for your page (click the “layout” tab in the upper left-hand corner of your screen to select a layout)
3. Find your letters – Click the “Embellishments” tab on the left side of your screen then choose the “Get more stickers” link at the bottom
4. Grab your letters – A dialogue box will appear. Click the “Kids” link in the embellishment menu and find the alphabet block letters. Click on the letters, then click “Add to project”
5. Place your letters – You will be taken back to your photo book, and the letters will appear in your embellishments selection. Drag the letters you want to your photo book page, place and rotate them around your photo

Cartoon Collage

The same customer is also using embellishments to turn photos into a DIY comic strip. This would be a super fun page to feature in your travel photo book. You could use a bunch of closeups of you and your family with comment bubbles saying what each of you thought of the trip.

1. Begin book – Start your All New Custom Path photo book and upload your photos
2. Get your page ready – Click the “Customize your page” link at the bottom left-hand corner of your screen
3. Add your pictures – Un-click the “Hide used” link above your selection of pictures. All of your photos will appear in the selection. Drag the pictures you want to include onto your page and position them into a collage
4. Find your thought bubbles – Click the “Embellishments” tab on the left side of your screen then choose the “Get more stickers” link at the bottom
5. Grab your thought bubbles – A dialogue box will appear. To grab your thought bubbles, click on the “Kids” and “Travel” links in the embellishment menu, click your favorite bubbles and “Add to project”
6. Place your bubbles – You will be taken back to your photo book, and the thought bubbles will appear in your embellishments selection. Drag your bubbles to your page, and place them
7. Add words – to add words inside your bubbles, click “add text box” in the upper right-hand corner of your screen. Write in the text box and position the box on top of your bubble. Repeat until all of your bubbles contain words

What unexpected ways are you using All New Custom Path? Let me know by commenting on this article.

If someone asked me to describe a typical summer travel photo I’d think of sunsets on the beach or people posed in front of famous spots like the Eiffel Tower or Niagara Falls.

But when I looked through my vacation photos this afternoon I realized that the shots I loved most were the ones that told stories.

Here are my five favorite summer travel photos. They may not be perfect, but their stories pull me in.

1. My goofy niece – I love this one because I can picture what happened just before the shot was taken. I’ll bet my sister tried to get my niece to pose, but she was a little punchy (as always) and couldn’t resist pulling a face.

2. Enjoying cocktail hour – this is a favorite of mine because each person is in their own moment. My niece is loving her slushy and looking at the camera as an afterthought, Mom is enjoying her beer and laughing at who knows what, and Dad is reaching for his water and wishing the camera would point somewhere else.

3. Mother and son – I am in love with this image of my great grandmother and great uncle. It looks like they’re reacting to someone off camera, and their expressions are totally candid. I feel like I’m experiencing the moment with them even though it happened over eighty years ago.

4. Guys will be guys – my grandfather and his ship buddies are using bow ties as mustaches for this clownish portrait. It happened about seventy-five years ago, but the image’s playfulness makes me feel like it happened yesterday. I think I would really like these guys! My grandfather is in the top row, second from the right.

5. Canoeing with pipe – this one mystifies me. I can’t tell if Grandpa is taking himself seriously or making fun of himself as an outdoor adventurer. The pipe is strange and wonderful.

Do you have favorite summer vacation photos? Why do you love them? Let me know by commenting on this article.

If you’re looking to add dramatic flair to your pictures, think silhouettes. You may become a “Niche” photographer.

Some of the most respected of picture-takers call themselves niche photographers when they specialize in the type of pictures they take. These specialties may run from landscapes to weddings to reunions and so on.

I don’t personally know any, but there must be those who call their niche to be silhouette photography. Here are some examples of what silhouettes could do for you.

The first photo is of a sculpture where details of the boys can be seen due to the use of flash. The second is without flash, and exposing for the sky left the boys in silhouette mode. I like both, but the second shot is certainly more dramatic. That is one of the big plusses of silhouettes. All following pictures, as different as they are, qualify as silhouettes.

Sunrise is a great time for high drama. First is before sunrise at the famous Bemis Tree in Alberta, Canada. Second is of a December sunrise in north Florida.

Shooting into the sun can create different photos than what you might expect. One is of Delaware’s Rehoboth Beach in mid-day. By me exposing for that beach, the beach-goers become silhouettes. Next is sunset in Oregon, where people and their dog add to the drama of that brief moment.

Looking up, as shown here in Warsaw, Poland, can create a dramatic skyline. In the second shot, exposing for this lake in a Florida state park makes for an exciting outline of a tree.

Shooting into the sun can also make for interesting shots – first is of the Neptune statue in Gdansk, Poland and the other is of Cristo Rei in Lisbon, Portugal.

Some good silhouette photos can be accidents. My wife, Diane, and I were photographing a sunset in Sintra, Portugal, when she spied my shadow on a wall while I was shooting.

Have fun creating great silhouettes. Just remember to turn the flash off and expose for a bright background.